The Land Trust acquired and protected the 58 acre Aspen Hollow Preserve in 2015. The Preserve includes 1/2 mile of Whychus Creek, rimrock cliffs, as well as pine and aspen stands, and is located outside of Sisters, Oregon (see map below). Aspen Hollow Preserve is home to a host of wildlife species including salmon and steelhead, mule deer, rocky mountain elk, golden eagles, spotted bat and numerous songbirds. The acquisition was made possible in part by the Land Trust’s Campaign for Whychus Creek.

Aspen Hollow Preserve can only be visited on guided Land Trust tours or via hosted educational offerings. When visiting:

Explore Whychus Creek: 1/2 mile of Whychus Creek flows through the rock canyons of the Preserve. Whychus Creek provides important habitat for returning salmon and steelhead.

Enjoy fall colors: The Preserve has a small meadow flanked with ponderosa pine and quaking aspen. Each fall these aspen light up a brilliant yellow. Learn more about the importance of aspen in the Conservation Values section below.

Watch for wildlife: With song birds nesting along the creek and golden eagles nesting on nearby cliffs, bird watching is always interesting. Learn more about the golden eagles that nest at Aspen Hollow Preserve!

Aspen Hollow Preserve protects natural, scenic, recreational, educational, and fish and wildlife habitat values. It includes 0.6 miles of Whychus Creek, providing the type of high quality habitat necessary for successful reintroduction of salmon and steelhead to the upper Deschutes basin.

Aspen Hollow Preserve also includes mixed ponderosa pine and juniper stands, aspen and streamside woodlands, healthy native bunchgrass and shrub communities, and habitat for a number of sensitive bat and bird species, including an active golden eagle nest.

The Land Trust manages Aspen Hollow Preserve to protect and, where necessary, restore fish and wildlife habitat. We also plan to provide site-appropriate educational opportunities. Current restoration efforts are focused on:

Structure removal. The Preserve has several unsound structures that need to be carefully removed. Initial restoration work will focus on this.

Restoring forests. We will restore the Preserve’s ponderosa pine and aspen stands to provide high quality wildlife habitat and help reduce fire risk.

Managing weeds. Noxious weeds are a reality at all Land Trust protected lands. If they are not actively managed they compromise healthy native plant communities.

Aspen Hollow Preserve can only be visited on guided Land Trust tours or via hosted educational offerings. When visiting, please note that Aspen Hollow Preserve is a rustic nature preserve. There are no established facilities such as trails, toilets, trash removal, or parking.

Preserve guidelines

Aspen Hollow Preserve can only be visited on guided tours or via other authorized use. All use is conditional upon following these and any other posted rules:

Pedestrian travel only.

Respect restrictions as posted.

Removal or disturbance of plants, wildlife, and historical artifacts is prohibited.

Dogs are not allowed.

No hunting, camping, campfires, or smoking.

Commercial use, private events and unauthorized public use are prohibited.

Please note: Aspen Hollow Preserve is private property owned by Deschutes Land Trust. Your use of the property is conditional upon these and any other posted rules. Preserve users failing to observe posted rules are trespassing and subject to applicable laws and penalties. Visitors to the Preserve may encounter risks associated with terrain, wildlife, and weather. Please exercise appropriate caution: the Deschutes Land Trust is not liable for injuries to Preserve visitors.